RABBLING ACT, a law passed by the Scottish Par- liament, in 1698, to prevent disturbance and riots at, the settlement of ministers. The Episcopalians in the North rabbled the Presbyterians, especially on the day of an ordination ; for they did not like to see their incumbents supplanted. So violent were their measures that the legislature had thus to interfere against them.— Eadie, Eccles. Cyclop, s. v. See Revolution Settlement.
Rabbo'ni (Paj3j3ovvl, or 'Paflfiovi, for Chaldaic ■,23^i, my master), the title of highest honor applied by the Jews to the teachers of the lawr. See Rabbi. In Mark x, 51 (where it is translated "Lord"), and John xx, 16, it is applied to Christ; but, as it seems to us, rather in its literal acceptation than with reference to the conventional distinction which it implied (if such distinction then existed) in the Jewish schools. There were but seven great professors, all of the school of Hillel, to whom the title was publicly given. There is some difference as to their names, and even the Tal- mud varies in its statements. But the only one there whose name occurs in Scripture is Gamaliel, unless, in- deed, as some suppose, the aged Simeon, who blessed the infant Saviour (Luke ii, "25), was the same as the Rabban Simeon of the Talmud. — Kitto. See Simeon.
Rabe. See Rosenbach.
Rabh. See Rab.
Rab'-mag (Heb. 5 ;"-^, Rub-mar/, chief magician; Sept. 'Prt/3-/tay or 'Pa/3ap«\), a word found only in Jer. xx xix, 3 and 13, as a title borne by a certain Nergal- sharezer who is mentioned among the "princes" that
accompanied Nebuchadnezzar to the last siege of Jeru- salem. Nergal-sharezer is probably identical with the king, called by the Greeks Neriglissar, who ascended the throne of Babylon two years after the death of Neb- uchadnezzar. See Nergal-sharezer. This king, as well as certain other important personages, is found to bear the title in the Babylonian inscriptions. It is written, indeed, with a somewhat different vocalization, being read as Rabu-Emga by Sir 11. liawlinson. The signification is somewhat doubtful. Rabu is most cer- tainly " great," or " chief," an exact equivalent of the Hebrew Tl, whence Rabbi, " a great one, a doctor ;" but Mag, or Emga, is an obscure term. It has been commonly identified with the word "Magus" (Gesenius, ad voc. i,~0 ■ Calmet, Commt ntair< Litteral, vi, 203, etc.) ; but this identification is somewhat uncertain, since an entirely different word — one which is read as Magusu — is used in that sense throughout the Behistun in- scription (Oppert, Expedition Scientifique en Mesopota- mia, ii, 209). Sir H. Rawlinson inclines to translate . mga by " priest," but does not connect it with the Magi, who in the time of Neriglissar had no footing in Babylon, lie regards this rendering, however, as pure- ly conjectural, and thinks we can only say at present that tiie office was one of great power and dignity at the Babylonian court, and probably gave its possessor special facilities for obtaining the throne.— Smith. See Magi.
Rab'saces (PatpaKnc), a Graecized form (Ecclus. xlviii, 18) of the name Rab-siiakeii (q. v.).
Rab'-saris (Heb. O-nS-n"?, Rab-Saris), a name applied to two foreigners, but probably rather the des- ignation of an office than of an individual, the word sig- nifying chief eunuch ; in Dan. i, 3, Ashpenaz is entitled the master of the eunuchs (Rab-sarisim). Luther trans- lates the word, in the three places where it occurs, as a name of office, the arch-chamberlain (der ErzJcdmmei-- 1 1 -. ih r obi rste Kammerer). Josephus (Ant. x, 8, 2) takes them as the A. V. does, as proper names. The chief officers of the court were present attending on the king; and the instance of the eunuch Narses would show that it was not impossible for the Rab-saris to possess some of the qualities fitting him for a military command. In 2 Kings xxv, 19, a eunuch (D^ID, Saris, in the text of the A. V. "officer," in the margin " eunuch") is spoken of as set over the men of war; and in the sculpt- ures at Nineveh " eunuchs are represented as command- ing in war; fighting both on chariots and on horseback, and receiving the prisoners and the heads of the slain after battle" (Layard. Nineveh, ii, 325). — Smith. But whether his office was really that which the title im- ports, or some other great court office, has been ques- tioned. The chief of the eunuchs is an officer of high rank and dignity in the Oriental courts; and his cares are not confined to the harem, but many high public functions devolve upon him. In the Ottoman Porte the Kislar Aga, or chief of the black eunuchs, is one of the principal personages in the empire, and in an of- ficial paper of great solemnity is styled by the sultan the most illustrious of the officers who approach his august person, and worthy of the confidence of monarchs and of sovereigns (D'Ohsson, Tab. Gen. iii. 308). It is, therefore, by no means improbable that such an office should be associated with a military commission; per- haps not for directly military duties, but to take charge of the treasure, and to select from the female captives such as might seem worthy of the royal harem. — Kitto. See Eunuch.
1. (Sept. 'Vafieapilc v. r. 'Paipic.) An officer of the king of Assyria sent up with Tartan and Rab-shakeh against Jerusalem in the time of Hezekiah (2 Kings xviii, 17). B.C. 71."..